Retail sales were flat on the month following a 0.6% increase in November, according to numbers adjusted for seasonality but not inflation. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones had expected an increase of 0.4%. Excluding autos, sales also were unchanged, against the estimate for a 0.3% increase.

Retail sales were flat in December from a month earlier, stalling after robust growth in November and defying forecasts for a 0.4% rise. The data will be followed later this week by the delayed January jobs report and consumer-price index.